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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The "New Band To Burn One To" comes to you today from Leeds, United Kingdom. Wiht concoct their own fine blend of killer Experimental/Soner/Doom metal. Citing influences from bands such as Goatsnake, Electric Wizard , Boris, Sleep, Saint Vitus, etc. how can you go wrong. Check out a few reviews of their debut EP.

Reviews:

Doomed To Be Stoned In A Sludge Swamp

""Wiht is a young band from Leeds, UK. The line-up includes Chris Wayper on guitar, Joe Hall on bass and Rick Contini on drums.

Chris gave some bio news about his band:

“Wiht started jamming towards the end of October 2009, by the end of November wiht had recorded their first offering in the form of Into Ruin, …And the thunder rolls and Vasta. A true and simple love for honest heavy music culminates in Wiht’s first recordings, hat nods towards the greats are clearly evident with the ultimate aim to offer something in its own pedigree. We recorded the cd in 3 days at Ghosttown Recordings in Leeds, England and are now looking to book some gigs and distribute the cd.”

On wiki I read that the word “wiht” is and old-Saxon root for “witch”. Adequate band’s name …

The band tags itself as a stoner/doom outfit, but the definition is misleading, or better incomplete.

When I started listening to the album, made up of three long instrumental suites, I was expecting typical stoner/doom (or else what I mentally associate with such tag)...(Read more)

"Wiht is a young band from Leeds in the ....UK.... and in case you are wondering Wiht translated means witch. Members of the band are Chris Wayper on guitar, Joe Hall on bass and Rick Contini on drums. The amazing thing about this new band is they only started jamming together in October 2009 and yet in such a short time have recorded a remarkable 3 track EP. There is two 16 minute tracks with a 9 minute track sandwiched in the middle so you get good value for your doom dollar here. From the sounds on the EP you can hear all the influences but they are wide and varied within the doom spectrum from Sleep, Weedeater, Electric Wizard to Boris, Sunn 0))) to Ufomammut. The first track "Into Ruin" starts off with a very Sleepish holy mountain era riff that serves as the backbone for the entire track but rather than just being repetitive, the track has a natural progression that keeps envovling keeping it interesting. It moves from plodding doom to spacey psychedelic sounds that produce an atmospheric vibe, there is what they call these days "shoegazeing parts". I would love to know where that term came from but it sounds right. The song builds up tension from the 10 minute mark onwards and there is no vocals but bands like these don't really need them. "Into The Ruins" comes to a quiet conclusion rather than doing a big crescendo ending, this band isn't predictable in that sense at all. "Vasta" has a chaotic beginning with crashing drums and a powerful riff before taking a stoner groove direction. There is more other worldly sounds that vibrate and generate a sometimes haunting sound but it is all interwoven by a strong stoner doom rhythm. A quieter almost Pink Floyd sounding section is follow by a mid-tempo thumping riff and its all held together by a great warm and rich bass sound. When the band slows right now they avoid the usual down tuned doom riffing and go for a more space rock ambient sound which sets them apart from most other bands. The track between these two is "And The Thunder Rolls" and is my favorite of the EP but only just because all three tracks are real good. The track gets off to a headbanging start before taking you on a almost jammy cosmic adventure. I say almost because the band is real tight but there is also a live feeling about this and "And The Thunder Rolls" is a perfect vehicle for this kind of music. The great element within this EP is the variety, the light and shade and the dynamic sound the band has. This band will get the "doom tag" from most people but they are really more of a space rock meets 70's hard rock/psyche rock band and that is not a bad thing at all. There is a couple of stand-out points about this debut EP, first one is the mind-blowing production and the second is the incredible talent of the players. In both cases its a winning formula that should get them not only great reviews but should generate some interest from promoters. This band would go down real well at Roadburn, i can see them now jamming out a 2 hour set backed up by a trippy light-show. The lack of a vocalist might throw some people but personally i think they are a band that can live without one. If they do decide to get a vocalist in the future, i hope they choose wisely because they wouldn't want to mess with the natural chemistry they already have. You can download this EP for free so what are waiting for, check their page for details. 9/10" (Doom Metal Alliance)

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

High On Fire return with one of the most highly anticipated release of 2010. Called 'one of 50 records you must hear in 2010' by Kerrang! Magazine, Snakes For The Divine is High On Fire's finest release to date and the one that will catapult them to the next level of their career. Pre-release touring with Dethklock has lit the fuse for the band who are poised to be one of the biggest stories in Hard music in 2010.

If you were to take one thing away from their debut album, Seattle's All Time High would want it to be this: Seattle rock is not dead! Formed in 2005, the men of All Time High are veterans of considerable pedigree. Having spent the last decade cutting their teeth playing in bands (VALIS, Kitty Kitty, Gardener) alongside some of the biggest and most recognizable names in the Northwest's music scene--and having released albums on labels as notable as Sub Pop, Man's Ruin, and Small Stone--All Time High aren't content to rest on their laurels. Since their inception All Time High have been steadfast in the trenches, playing shows with the likes of Helios Creed/Chrome, Sound of Urchin, The Spores, Mos Generator, and The Valley. Their debut long-player, the aptly titled 12-song Friends in High Places, was recorded in an unadulterated 5-day session with legendary Seattle producer Jack Endino and features more than a few surprise guests.

2010 live release from Japan's premier Stoner/Sludge rockers. The night was recorded in multi track and was mixed and mastered by Marcel van de Vondervoort of Torture Garden Studio fame. After releases by Wolves In the Throne Room (2008) and Year Of No Light (2008), Church Of Misery Live at Roadburn 2009 is the third installment in our live series. Eight tracks. Roadburn.

Monday, February 22, 2010

I have not been able to stop listening to the new album "Bangers" by Barn Burner since it came out last Tuesday. Therefore, I am making it the "Album Of The Week".

Reviews:

"While they bring the '70s to mind like Astra, Barn Burner does it in a very different way. Rather than bringing smooth progressive rock to mind with its atmospheric excess, Barn Burner brings us straight-up rock and roll with a southern twist. The music sounds as if it has been soaked in a bottle of Tennessee whiskey that was then smashed across a vintage Marshall stack with a mid-1960s Gibson SG or Les Paul connected through a fuzz box. The sort of music that will play well at a smoke-filled bar where the beer and the Jack flow freely. This is groove-based rock with memorable riffs, moderately paced turns that you can sit back and rock your head to without spilling your drink. Touches of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers, a little bit of Black Sabbath, a liberal sprinkle of Thin Lizzy, a side dish of Iron Maiden, perhaps a smidgen of punk, and a dash of Corrosion of Conformity for a more recent frame of reference and you get an idea of what Barn Burner is like." (Chris Beaumont, StonerRock.com)

"Montreal, Canada-based 4-headed riff machine Barn Burner don’t believe in beating around the bush. Album opener ‘Holy Smokes’ comes roaring out of the gate with a direct aggressiveness that lays out the band’s stall in no uncertain terms – no atmospheric intro, no acoustic lead-in, hell, there’s not even a hi-hat four count – from the second you press play, you’re blasted by guitars, bass and drums in full hell-for-burnished-leather mode. Self-described as “the 3 headed love child of Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy and Fu Manchu“...(Read more)

Thursday, February 18, 2010

"One of the most enduring and influential underground bands in heavy metal history, Pentagram's career was almost 15 years old by the time they finally managed to record their first album. Though invariably led by mysterious frontman Bobby Liebling, the band's volatile membership made it difficult to maintain any kind of momentum and kept them confined to metal's outer fringes. But interest in Pentagram's convoluted history continues to grow and their crucial contributions to the development of heavy metal seem at last to be receiving some of their late, lamented due.

Pentagram first came into existence in 1971 in Woodbridge, VA, when singer Bobby Liebling met guitarist/drummer Geof O'Keefe. In the coming months, the duo played with a variety of local musicians, including guitarist John Jennings, bassist Vincent McAllister, and drummer Steve Martin, but by early 1972, McAllister had switched to guitar, O'Keefe took over on drums, and Greg Mayne joined on bass guitar. This lineup of Liebling, McAllister, Mayne, and O'Keefe would remain intact for the next six years, and though they occasionally performed under different names, including Virgin Death, Stone Bunny, and Macabre (the last of which graced their first single, "Be Forewarned," in 1972), they always inevitably returned to Pentagram. Another element of stability was their musical direction, which never strayed too far from the distorted psychedelic hard rock of heavy metal pioneers like Blue Cheer and the Groundhogs. A set of independent 7" recordings, "Human Hurricane" and "When the Screams Come" (this last was never released) preceded their first live performance on December 15, 1973, by which time a visible Black Sabbath influence had begun to take hold. Second guitarist Randy Palmer joined their ranks mid-1974 and his addition coincided with Pentagram's most prolific period of the decade, including close calls with record deals from both Columbia and Casablanca Records. But by 1976, Palmer was out (briefly replaced by Marty Iverson) and all of the band's professional prospects had dried up, leaving Pentagram to grind to a halt at the end of the year.

After years of silence, Liebling was finally encouraged to resume his career in mid-1978, when he met a musical soul mate in local drummer Joey Hasselvander, but it wasn't until Halloween 1981 that Pentagram was truly brought back from the dead. By then, Hasselvander had joined a new group called Death Row, which featured a young, Black Sabbath-obsessed guitarist named Victor Griffin. When Liebling stopped by for a jam, creative sparks flew almost immediately and with the addition of bassist Martin Swaney, the group officially assumed the Pentagram name once again. More years of hard work playing in clubs and composing new material followed, but in 1985, Pentagram finally recorded a full-length, self-titled debut (minus Hasselvander, who was replaced at the last minute by drummer Stuart Rose). Later retitled Relentless, the record may have been dedicated to Blue Cheer, but its contents owed an almost singular stylistic debt to Black Sabbath and along with its even more accomplished 1987 successor Day of Reckoning, it helped set the stage for the looming doom metal movement. Not fast enough for Pentagram to capitalize, however, and following another lengthy hiatus, a new contract from Peaceville Records finally led to another comeback via 1994's Be Forewarned LP (featuring a reinstated Hasselvander). But the musical climate of the time was very unfriendly to heavy metal of any kind, and the doom scene had never managed to coalesce as expected, leading Pentagram to another, seemingly final breakup.

Then in 1998, a clandestine, unauthorized collection of early Pentagram demos and live bootlegs, entitled Human Hurricane, was unexpectedly released, prompting Liebling and Hasselvander to take action. Both 1999's Review Your Choices and 2001's Sub-Basement combined new compositions with updated versions of the band's ancient classics and featured Hasselvander playing every instrument. The controversy also sparked greater interest in Pentagram's music and its substantial impact on the heavy metal genre, culminating in the priceless (and this time fully authorized) collection of long-lost '70s recordings entitled First Daze Here (The Vintage Collection). Another compilation, Turn to Stone, arrived later in 2002, compiling material from their Peaceville albums that had gone out of print in the late 90's."( Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide)

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

I think the thing I enjoy the most about this blog is the fact that I get to hear bands from all over the world and that my little known blog actually reaches out to so many different countries. Today's "New Band To Burn One To" is She Loves Pablo.

She Loves Pablo is a three-piece band from Zagreb, Croatia. Started in late 2005. as a stoner-rock duo (Domagoj – guitars/vocals, Leo – drums), the band immediately recorded its first demo, entitled simply "She Loves Pablo". They played their first dozen shows in and around their hometown, sneaking into the Croatian stoner scene which was rapidly growing at the time, and is now kicking ass with amazing bands such as Ruiz, Cojones, Stonebride, Umor, Toro, and Sonic Doom Records, an indie label making it all easier. In 2006. the band recorded their second CD, an EP entitled "Country Home", where they experimented with a different, more radio-friendly sound. The following year was a year of change. Hrvoje (bass) joined in, adding that low-frequency ass-kicking which was missing. This gave the band room to experiment and to step away from the stoner-rock stereotypes, combining blues influences with a massive, psychedelic groove.

The band's debut album, "Mother Of All" was recorded and self-released in 2009. It contains 10 tracks from almost every era of the band, and beautifully sums up the work of She Loves Pablo.

And the tumbleweed keeps rollin'...

You can hear some of the band's music at these websites as well as a link to download their album, if you do please give the band a word of gratitude

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

"From the metal loving city of Montreal comes one of the most killer riff machines this side of the 3 headed love child of Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy and Fu Manchu. Barn Burner have been cruising around Canada over the past few years spreading their love of the riff, good times and are ready to spread their beard encrusted rock to the rest of the world."

Monday, February 15, 2010

I've been on a bit of a Doom kick as of late and one of my favorite doom bands just recently released their new CD "Dusk" on Brainticket Records. The band that I am talking about is Las Cruces. Check out some favorable reviews below. Fans of bands such as Trouble, Solitude Aeturnus, St. Vitus, Iron Man, etc. will not be disappointed.

Reviews:

Doommantia

"The new album by Las Cruces has a long and complicated story behind it, for starters it has been a incredible long wait for this album, its been 12 years since they released their last album, the classic "Ringmaster". On top of that, this recording for this album was finished over 2 years ago, the singer on the album also left the band around the same time. "Dusk" also includes 3 tracks from a EP recorded 9 years ago so what you get here is a real mixed bag of a album. Las Cruces has always been one of the most under-appreciated bands in the scene however so its great that the album is finally here. So how does this album compare with the excellent "Ringmaster" album of 12 years ago. The first thing that becomes clear is the overall sound is very different, gone is the clear big production of "Ringmaster". This album has a muddy guitar sound but it is still real heavy but the guitar sounds buried in the mix at times. This is a disappointment at first but that feeling doesn't last long as this is still a cool, strong album of mostly mid-tempo doom tunes. First track up is "Wizard" and its a great track that switches back and forth between lumbering doom parts and mid tempo headbanging sections. The musicianship has made a noticeable improvement even though they were great muso's before but now the riffing seems to be more precise than ever before. The rhythm section of the band is what stands out in the mix while the guitar work sits more in the background of the bands sound. The bass is particularly thunderous on the album along with the drums. Next track up is "Revelations" which is another mid-tempo old school doom rocker, once again the buried guitar work is a bit of a let-down but all is forgiven when you hear the shredding solos that fly out of the speakers. Mixed way louder and up-front than anything else, they slice off your head with some real energetic muster. Its all about groove and this album is not lacking in that department at all, every track has doom laden groove stamped all over it and "Revelations" is one of the highlights..." (Read more)

HellrideMusic.com

"The new album by Las Cruces has an unusual set of circumstances surrounding its delivery: twelve years since the last album, two and a half years after recording was finished, nearly two years after the vocalist on it moved on and containing all three tracks from a nine year old EP. A complicated and overdue birth it has been for Dusk, a birth in the still long shadow of its elder sibling and attended by the expectations raised by a ripping set at Templars of Doom II. So what exactly has coming kicking and squalling into the world of doom…a beast?..a problem child? …an extension of the legacy?...a changeling?...all of the above really…

“Wizard” comes thundering out of the speakers and revelations battle for attention and focus. Gone is the ultra powerful and shiny production that graced Ringmaster and one can’t help but miss it, especially when the guitar onslaught falls back in the mix. At the same time you can hear strides forward in wickedness and riff mastery, and a dirt and grit not present to this extent in the past. The song alternates between a lumbering lead heavy doom sections, where it threatens at time to become heavier than anything that they have done before and at other times steps on the gas in a head-banging frenzy. The rhythm section is up front in the mix, with the bass truly thundering and the drums “right there” clear down to the cymbal nuances, but carrying an almost dusty, organic feel. Over it all the forceful exultations of Mark Zamarron carry the first of a slew of dark tales. As always, his vocal power is astounding and it is quite difficult, after listening to this album, to comprehend the size of the shoes that drummer Paul Deleon has to fill by now taking on vocal duties..." (Read more)

Saturday, February 13, 2010

In the spring of 2010, Stoner Rock Ohio will release Volume I of a compilation CD, “Blowin’ Smoke, Ten Hits of oHIGHo’s Finest”. The collection features the best stoner rock from the Buckeye state, including Venomin James, Lo-Pan, Red Sun, Mechanics of Things, Threefold Law, Masters of Luxury, and more. Look for a promo video to be released on YouTube in the near future. Get two copies for the price of a dub.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

First of all, thanks for sending in your CD. Are you guys up for some crazy sounding shit? Well, Manual Zombie is definitely a band with a whole lot of crazy sounds mixed together and they do it very well. Combine samples, loops, distorted vocals, drum machine and tambourine with zero budget garage, punk, noise, fuzz, psychedelic stoner rock with lots of reverb and you have a good idea of what Manual Zombie sounds like. The band cites influences such as Velvet Underground, Black Flag, Pink Floyd, Skinny Puppy, Orange Goblin, Blue Cheer, Black Sabbath, and John Carpenter movies.

The band just released their first full-length album "Autumn" on December 25, 2009.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

I have decided to start running a new feature on Heavy Planet called "Classic Band To Burn One To". Every week I will feature a Classic Rock band from the sixties, seventies or eighties that I deem either influential, obscure, or just plain badass. The first band to take honors is WEED (how ironic,huh?).

The only release by German act, WEED, plays a special role among the more obscure Krautrock acts from the seventies. The unconventional music produced by WEED has to be seen within the context of the German music scene of that time, still looking for its own identity and experimenting with a diversity of curious stylistic directions. Weed...! , the album, was originally released in 1971 and had been described by the British press as a mix of Guru Guru and The Status Quo. Of more interest to collectors alike, WEED features Uriah Heep keyboardist Ken Hensley on vocals, keyboards and guitars. Some believe that Hensley wrote all the songs on the album, but for whatever reason did not want to be credited for doing so.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Let it be known that I have probably seen Clutch no less than a dozen times dating back to 1996 when I first saw them headline an incredible bill that included Fu Manchu, Orange 9MM and Core. While they are truly an amazing live act in their own right, one of the most exciting things about a Clutch show is finding out who they’ve pegged as openers. Throughout the years, I’ve been introduced to an eclectic bunch of opening bands like Stinking Lizaveta, The BellRays, Dixie Witch and Clutch’s own side project The Bakerton Group, just to name a few. Tonight however, the Maryland boys one-upped even themselves by assembling one of the strongest lineups I’ve seen in quite some time.

Never Got Caught

Prior to this show, I was unfamiliar with this Beantown power-trio which includes Bryan Hinkley on vocals and guitar, Bill Hinkley on drums and Paul Dallaire on bass. I had no idea what to expect, particularly when the fellas took the stage in spiffy suits and nice hats looking more like a bunch of 1930’s era gangstas ready for a bank robbery than a rock band. Once they started playing however, it was all about that heavy, heavy groove.

It was easy to see (or hear rather) how Never Got Caught got on this tour as their musical style gives a rather obvious nod to Clutch (and it just so happens that Clutch vocalist Neil Fallon lends guest vocals to one of the songs on their latest album, “Creepshow”). What sets these guys apart from their peers however is the healthy dose of classic rock that permeates their sound…listening to Never Got Caught is like listening to the bastard child of Clutch and AC/DC. This correlation is due in no small part to Bryan Hinkley’s raspy vocal style which often evokes Bon Scott and that classic rock guitar sound that owes an awful lot to fellow Bostonians, Aerosmith.

Never Got Caught proved to be an excellent opening act for the evening and got the proceedings off on the right foot. When the band finished playing one particular song, Hinkley immediately leaned into his mic with arms stretched out, palms up and simply said (with a heavy Boston accent) “Eh?...Eh?”…translation: “pretty damn good, right?” The answer was a resounding yes, and by the sound of the crowd, most everyone in attendance agreed with me.

Lionize

Local (Silver Spring, MD) stoner/reggae fusion act Lionize was next on tonight’s bill. The band consists of Chris Brooks on keys, Henry Upton on bass, Mel Randolph on drums and the duo of Nate Bergman and, to my surprise, Clutch’s Tim Sult on guitars (Tim isn’t listed on the band’s website as a member, but he was up there onstage tonight). The tunes sounded like Sixty Watt Shaman meets Bob Marley, or in other words, a heavy dose of stoner jam-rock mixed with reggae. Lionize managed to blend the two styles so seamlessly, I had to wonder why it hadn’t been attempted before now. Throw in the Doors-like organ, which was prominent throughout the band’s set, and you have a perfectly original musical concoction. Yet again, a very impressive performance and a perfect opening act for the legendary Clutch.

Doomriders

As I watched the next band set up their equipment, I was extremely skeptical as to whether or not they could meet the high expectations associated with having a name as utterly cool as Doomriders. Lucky for me, this Boston (what’s in the water up there?) based act met my expectations and then some. Sounding like a slightly less heavy version of High on Fire, the band proved to be the highlight of the night in my mind.

Doomriders consists of Nate Newton (who also plays bass in hardcore band Converge) on guitar and vocals, Jebb Riley on bass, Chris Pupecki on guitar and John-Robert Conners on drums. The band’s abrasive style, which was much more “metal” than anything else on tonight’s bill, seemed to catch a large percentage of the crowd off guard. Fifteen years ago that may not have been the case at a Clutch show, but the headliners’ audience has changed over the years to fit their stylistic shift towards a more bluesy, jam-band type of rock…a metal crowd, this was not. That fact wasn’t lost on Newton, as was evidenced after finishing one song when he smirked and said to the crowd, with a hint of sarcasm, “kind of crazy, huh?”

It was obvious that the band was having a blast onstage, tearing through songs off their latest album “Darkness Come Alive” (a masterpiece if I do say so myself…I picked it up at the show after witnessing their set). Newton’s sense of humor was obvious throughout the set, for example after asking the crowd to “give it up for Never Got Caught”, to which he got a very mild response, he screamed “oh c’mon, give it up for Never Got Caught!”, at which point the crowd erupted and the singer said simply…“proper”, before launching into the band’s next song. On a night chock full of amazing bands, Doomriders were the cream of the crop (and like it or not, I’m including Clutch in that assessment)…proper indeed!

Clutch

One of the best things about going to a Clutch show is that you never know exactly what you’ll hear. They’re liable to play anything off of their nine studio albums (and three EPs/compilations) on any given night. That’s why when I heard that this tour would feature a full performance of their self-titled masterpiece, I was actually somewhat disappointed. Now don’t get me wrong, I tend to agree with the majority of Clutch fans, that the self-titled release is in fact their high water mark. But, they have so much great music in their repertoire, that it seems a shame to focus two-thirds of a set list on one album. But the whole “play an older album in its entirety” strategy seems to be the flavor of the moment for a lot of bands recently (see The Cult, Megadeth, et al), so I guess I’m not all that surprised.

Having said all of that, the stoner rock godfathers, hailing from Germantown, Maryland, took the stage and launched right into “50,000 Unstoppable Watts” off of their incredible new album, “Strange Cousins from the West”. Realizing these guys need no introduction, I’ll do it anyway. The band is made up of Neil Fallon on vocals (and occasional guitar) and Tim Sult on guitar, both of whom I’ve already mentioned previously in this review. In addition, Clutch consists of Dan Maines on bass and of course, the best rock drummer since John Bonham…Jean-Paul Gaster.

After rolling through over half of their latest album, the band settled into the “in its entirety” performance of their self-titled opus. Again, having heard all of these songs multiple times live, I have to admit that I wasn’t astonished to have the experience of listening to them in the order that they appear on the album. However, given that I had consumed my fair share of frothy beverages by this point in the evening and the band was playing what amounts to my favorite album (of theirs), I found myself shouting right along with Fallon (and the rest of the crowd) by the time he sang “we got Greedo…Solo to the rear” off of “Big News II”.

If you’re at all familiar with Clutch, then you know what ensued over the next hour or so as they worked their way through the album. From the powerful swagger of “Rock n Roll Outlaw” to the requisite crowd sing-along during “Spacegrass” (”Dodge Swinger, 1973, top down, chassis free…Buzz Aldrin, Armstrong, or maybe just me…Don’t worry, its coming…Don’t worry its coming…Jesus on the dashboard!”) to the intense, yet zany hardcore of “Animal Farm”, Clutch was on top of their game tonight, as always.

By the time they reached the chilled out, laid back album closer, the instrumental “Tim Sult vs The Greys”, it’s a wonder the band, or their audience, had anything left in the tank. But after a short break, the boys returned to the stage for an encore that included two more tracks from the new album in addition to an energetic version of “Regulator” and then the finale…“Gravel Road” off of my second favorite Clutch record, “Robot Hive/Exodus”. By this point, the 9:30 Club crowd had been sufficiently rocked.

If you’ve never seen a Clutch show (and you’re at all interested in rock music), then you owe it to yourself to do so. They are truly one of the most talented acts you’re likely to see, undoubtedly due to their incredible work ethic…these guys tour like no other band around. To use their own words, Clutch are “veterans of the trade” and they continue to prove it every single time I see them…tonight was no different.

Set List

50,000 Unstoppable Watts
Struck Down
Minotaur
Let a Poor Man Be
Algo Ha Cambiado
Abraham Lincoln
Big News I
Big News II
Rock n Roll Outlaw
Texan Book of the Dead
Escape From the Prison Planet
Spacegrass
I Have the Body of John Wilkes Booth
Tight Like That
Animal Farm
Droid
The House that Peterbilt
7 Jam
Tim Sult vs The Greys

Encore
Freakonomics
Motherless Child
Regulator
Gravel Road

This review was submiited by contributing writer "Inspired". You can check out his blog "The Year Long Music Binge" for more cool reviews. All I got to say is you lucky son of a gun.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

The final tracklisting and preorder information for the second edition of the Falling Down Compilation has been posted. In a recent interview for Noisecreep, the creators of the project revealed that the compilation will feature unreleased tracks by a number of heavy-hitting experimentally-inclined heavy music groups, including The Dillinger Escape Plan, Jucifer, The Ocean, Gnaw Their Tongues, Mumakil, U.S. Christmas, God is an Astronaut, and many more.

Falling Down II was mastered by and mastering by Julien Fehlmann (Kehlvin, Unfold, Vancouver, Yog, Forceed, Art of Falling, Shelving) and featured artwork by Synckop. Over a dozen nationalities are represented on the CD, which will be limited to just 1,000 digipack copies and features a track from The Poisoned Glass, a new project featuring S.Dahlquist (Asva, Sunn O))),Burning Witch) and Edgy59 (Burning Witch).

The first edition of Falling Down, a 3-CD collection that featured never-before-heard songs from the likes of Pelican, Overmars,Kylesa, Rosetta, Knut and Dirge, was released in 2008.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

The "New Band To Burn One To" today is Silver Devil. This straight up Stoner Rock band from Sweden started off by playing Fu Manchu covers which eventually lead to writing their own songs and ultimately playing their local clubs. The band has released a few demos including their EP 'Follow Me Down" released in 2008. Following is a review of their 3-song demo released in 2009. Look for the band to release a full-length in November 2010. Until then they will be gigging extensively, so check'em out!

Review:

"The Ampire strikes back and the guys from planet groove have returned with yet another chunky piece of meat, not quite as brilliant as the previous demo but it still has great potential to knock down most of its kind!

I believe that these earthlings are quite young, which is quite impressive according to their musical skills, they can go on forever if they manage to keep the same high standard as they have done so far. On the new demo I personally think that Silver Devil are holding back some of the brilliance that they previously showed up, but as i said before they are still far from being a mediocre band. Silver Devil are one of the bands who still know how to handle a fuzz pedal in the right way... these Swedes simply rule and gives the listener a one hell of a ride!

The latest three track effort by the Swedish fuzzoholics is like being run down by some rampant trucker on meth, you get truckloads of fuzz and piles of everything that stoner rock is all about and these animals are without any doubt comparable to bands like Dozer, Truckfighters and Fu Manchu. Silver Devil are true 'skirtlifters' who make any chick wanna ride the 'golden horse' and are a threat to all who think that Queens and Aerosmith are tough enough. The third track 'Lies' along with the opening track 'Cactus Kicker' are absolutely the outstanders on this demo which makes me wanna deepdive in joy into my neighbours bed (forgetting that she's an 80 year old hag).

The three tracks are neatly arranged and super fuzzy with great vocals, unfortunately the recording is not the best and the drums are a bit low (or am i deaf?), but is STILL better than most of the unsigned bands of today! I'm looking forward to the album set for release in 2010! If you want something crunchy for x-mas i highly recommend Silver Devil, just put'em on your wishlist or simply visit the guys on my space and ask for it!" (Tobias Beament, PlanetFuzz.net)

Thank God for Swedish bands keeping the Stoner Rock dream alive. Too bad we have to wait until November for a full-length. Well, at least we have something to look forward to in 2010, this is just a little taste to wet our appetites.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

"After much industry ballyhoo Priestess released in 2004 what is widely regarded as one of Canada's greatest hard rock debuts ever Hello Master. Unlike most hard rock/metal bands that relied solely on ballast and blast to sear their message into gray matter Priestess had a special trick up their sleeve they could actually write a song that could walk the rope between being infectious and downright viscous."

"2010 two CD release from the British Industrial/Experimental band led by Matthew Bower. Strange Keys To Untune Gods' Firmament evokes Wagnerian sonic bombast, a Nietzchean worldview, and a warlike cry of rebellion against the false, encased in a whirlwind both psychotropic and psychoacoustic. Each spin brings new themes to the forefront. Not easy listening by anyone's standards, Strange Keys is not for the faint of heart--but those willing to submit and immerse themselves in the deep, thick waters of self-transformation will be greatly rewarded."

"Creature with the Atom Brain was founded as a one-man home recording project by Belgian Aldo Struyf in between stints touring with Mark Lanegan and his own band, the Millionaires. Now morphed into a full time project, Creature s sophomore album, Transylvania, it is actually their debut North American release. Transylvania finds the band going in a more melodic and reflective direction by while simultaneously maintaining their musical core as defined by references to psychedelia, 70s prog, Hawkwind, 13th Floor Elevators, July and Erkin Koray, as paired with African rhythms; a striking stand-out from most contemporary independent music.

Bringing an additional rock pedigree along with credibility is Chris Goss's mix of Transylvania the man in the producer and engineer s seat for bands like Masters Of Reality, Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age. And while the album credits list additional collaborations with Mark Lanegan and Mr. Chris Goss, Transylvania stands on its own merits as well."

Monday, February 1, 2010

I was on Rhapsody the other day looking for some new stuff to put on my MP3 player and came across this gem. I just loved this album when it came out and unfortunately sold the CD. This is Stoner/Doom metal at its finest. Therefore, I am making "Flower Of Disease" by Goatsnake the "Album Of The Week" this week. Can you dig it!

Review:

"With Flowers of Disease, Goatsnake delivers its trademark slick, thick, and smooth guitar tones à la Kyuss meets Black Sabbath, way-low dropped tunings, heavy drumming, solid production values, and some pretty weird instrument appearances. These guys have been around the proverbial doom metal block, and it shows. Pete Stahl gives a vocal performance that is unique, melodic and dynamic in range, lending a classic doom sound that's an increasingly untypical and refreshing vocal approach in today's black-, death-, and grindcore-influenced doom metal scene. The slow- to mid-paced grooves are all the Sabbath-inspired heaviness you could hope for, but much of the album comes off like a wasted summer evening from your best memories. "Easy Greasy" has Stahl singing "Fellout and tore up/With my friends and their freaks/We laugh and lie so high it's sweet." Not only that, but the mouth harp thing, along with the slow, heavy groove, gives off this "down by the river, takin' it easy" feeling. This is a doom record though, and aside from the fact that there's plenty of mellow "let it go" attitude here, the title track is the most morose. "Flower of Disease" conjures suicidal thoughts with the lyrics "I touch these walls of this place I know/Death is standing right outside the door/I smile inside to hide the cries/The pain just loves to multiply." An enjoyable listen, this album is a perfect marriage of modern production techniques, excellent riffing, melodic classic doom, and grooving ambience." (Paul Kott, All Music Guide)